The Telangana Television Development Forum on Thursday urged the government to start a new channel to help local talent showcase its potential and mirror the history, culture and traditions of the new State.
The forum, which comprises television artistes, producers and technicians of Telangana, also called for a series of measures to help improve the television industry and support those who depend on it for their livelihood.
Telugu television producer-director and forum convenor N. Suresh Kumar told reporters that the government immediately ban ‘dubbing serials’ on Telugu channels that affect the prospects of local talent.
“We have been agitating against the trend of entertainment channels using serials dubbed from other languages that deprive opportunities here,” he said.
Mr. Kumar said steps should be taken to identify and develop shooting locations in districts such as Warangal, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda, and also improve tourist places which could be made use of as shooting locations for the serials. Help should be extended in the form of subsidies to set up production and post-production facilities along with graphic studios in the districts, he said.
TV and film actor Manik said though the State had been bifurcated, the Film Development Corporation was yet to be divided.
“We want a television institute to be set up for imparting training in different crafts to encourage the young talent,” he said.
Another actor, Vaibhav Surya, said the living conditions and prospects of artistes and technicians from Telangana were pathetic and the government should immediately intervene to extend support for them.
“A channel by the government will not help put focus on new State but also provide lot of opportunities to the local talent,” he remarked.
